PSI

Effective 1st April 2009, PSI Uganda transitioned to PACE a local organization and an affiliate of PSI. The vision of PACE is to be an innovative, efficient, results-oriented organization that works towards realizing a community of Ugandans empowered to sustain healthy behaviour and a significant contributor to Ministry of Health priority health areas including, but not limited to, HIV/AIDS, malaria, child health and reproductive health

PACE has programs in malaria, reproductive health, safe water, child survival and HIV/AIDS. PACE promotes products, services and healthy behaviors that enable low-income and vulnerable communities to lead healthier lives.

Health Areas

Child Survival, Diarrheal Disease, HIV, Malaria, Reproductive Health

Health Impact

PACE estimates that in 2010, its products and services helped avert:

• 89,465 HIV & TB DALYs1
• 44,275 Reproductive Health DALYs
• 2,401,371 Malaria Control DALYs
• 8,049 Child Survival DALYs
1. 1. Source: The DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year) is a widely-used, credible metric that was first developed by the World Bank and is now routinely relied upon in the public health community.

Health Interventions

• Sex Workers
• Uniformed Services Personnel
• Intrauterine Device (IUD)
• Clean Delivery Kits
• Male Condom
• Basic HIV Care and Prevention Package
• Female Condom
• Cross-Generational Sex
• Long Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets
• Behavior Change Communication for Malaria Control

Improving Health in Uganda

Malaria

The ACTWatch Project

This project seeks to increase effective treatment rates of malaria by generating and disseminating evidence and recommendations to policymakers on methods to increase availability and decrease the consumer price of quality assured artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). The program conducts four different research studies: the Outlet Study- to monitor levels and trends in the availability, price and volume of antimalarials, as well as to examine providers’ perceptions and knowledge of antimalarial medicines at different outlets; the Drug Quality study- to conduct quality assurance and quality control activities on a sample of antimalarials on the market; the Market Supply Chain- to measure wholesaler and provider volumes and the components of the consumer price of antimalarials, as well as current policy influences on the market, specifically, on mark-ups from import to outlet; and the Household Study- to monitor consumer treatment-seeking behavior and specific antimalarials consumed implemented through the ACTwatch partnership. The ACTwatch partnership includes PSI represented by PACE in Uganda, United States Pharmacopeia (USP), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and AC Nielson.

ACTs with a Green leaf

In September 2008 PACE as a member of the Consortium for ACT Private Sector Subsidy (CAPSS) launched highly subsidized pre-packaged Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) sold in private health units. Currently Coartem, an ACT, is available free in public health facilities, but sold expensively at private health units. This initiative is piloted in the districts of Kaliro, Pallisa, Budaka, and Kamuli in Eastern Uganda as a partnership between the Ministry of health, Medicines for Malaria Ventures, the National Drug Authority, PACE, Surgipharm, IDA solutions and Malaria Consortium.

Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health Commodity Security project(RHCS)

PACE implements a project to improve the Reproductive health commodity security (RHCS) specifically contraceptive commodities and Condoms at district and lower level health structures in Uganda. This project is based on the principle of public –private partnerships for health in which the health sector is committed to making the private sector a major partner in national health development.

Reproductive health in emergencies

In July 2008, PSI/Uganda, now PACE, embarked on a project to improve the health status of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)—especially high risk groups in Pader and Kitgum districts, through the provision of sexual and reproductive health services and products. The project targets young people (10-24 yrs), commercial sex workers and the uniformed forces.

Women’s Health Program

In 2008, PACE then PSI/Uganda started the Women Health Project in Uganda to increase access to and demand for affordable, high quality long-term Family Planning services, through a network of private healthcare providers. This network of providers is branded “Profam”. The goal of the program is to reduce maternal mortality, by improving the quality of reproductive health services, limiting births through increased use of IUDs and implants, as well as the prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) through the distribution of Misoprostol.

Clean Delivery Kits

PACE produces and supplies Clean Delivery Kits containing essential items for a clean and safe delivery by mothers. The Maama Kit is primarily purchased by relief agencies working with refugees and other vulnerable populations, but is also sold in the general trade mainly through pharmacies. From October 2008, PSI Uganda in collaboration with the US-based MAIA Foundation started implementing a one year programme in Mubende district. Through this initiative, a modified New Maama Kit containing additional products like the Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), Zinc and WaterGuard Tabs, are distributed to pregnant women alongside reproductive health messages.

Safe Water/Child Survival

PUR Purifier of Water

In 2004, PACE then PSI/Uganda launched PUR, an affordable and easy-to-use water treatment product. The introduction of PUR is part of a safe water education program aimed at reducing sickness and death caused by diarrheal diseases among children under five. The program targets other vulnerable groups including: people living with HIV/AIDS, internally displaced persons and people living in urban slums. PUR is available in retail outlets and pharmacies across Uganda.

WaterGuard

PSI/Uganda markets WaterGuard solution, targeted at the general population in urban and peri-urban areas. This product is a liquid Sodium Hypochlorite solution that treats a normal supply for a family of five, for one month, at a cost of only US $0.30 per month. WaterGuard Tab serves to increase the range of point-of-use treatment options available to our target populations. A single tablet treats 20 liters of water and can be purchased in strips of two for a little as $0.03, providing a pocket friendly option for those unable to purchase a bottle of the solution at a go.

HIV

Anti Cross Generational Sex Program

In 2007, PSI/Uganda launched a nationwide program to address cross-generational sex. The program is implemented in universities and secondary schools and uses mass media, interpersonal communication and Go getters camps to challenge what has essentially become a social norm in much of sub-Saharan Africa.

The Go Red campaign

In February 2009 PSI/Uganda launched the mutual faithfulness in marriage campaign, dubbed the “Go RED for fidelity campaign”. The Go RED campaign was borne out of a literature review of various studies on concurrent partnerships in Uganda and other African countries of similar context and a research study on faithfulness and concurrent partnerships. This research underscored the need for an intensive multi-faceted communication campaign to address faithfulness among the married in Uganda.

Condom Social Marketing

Since 2006, PACE then PSI/Uganda has marketed Trust condoms in a bid to increase accessibility and availability of condoms all over Uganda especially in the rural communities.

Basic Care Package

PACE’s HIV program activities include the distribution of the Basic Care package (BCP) to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). Other activities include the education of PLWHAs on how to prevent Opportunistic Infections, live longer and healthier lives through Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, prevention of diarrheal diseases using household water treatment and safe storage, use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) for malaria prevention, and the prevention of HIV transmission to sexual partners and unborn children. The BCP products have been shown to prolong and improve the quality of life of PLWHAs, especially those who do not have access to antiretroviral drugs. Through this program, PACE also implements a nationwide communications campaign on TB/HIV, nutrition in HIV, pain and symptom management, prevention with positives.

Target Populations

HIV: people living with HIV/AIDS and vulnerable populations including rural populations and women;
Malaria: rural populations;
Safe water: parents with children under five

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